The present invention relates to airbag apparatuses having horn switches, and more specifically relates to an airbag apparatus constructed such that only a module cover moves to turn on the horn switches when the module cover is pressed.
A driver airbag apparatus which is disposed in a steering wheel of a vehicle and in which horn switches are turned on and a horn is sounded when a module cover of the airbag apparatus is pressed is known in the art. If this airbag apparatus is constructed such that only the module cover moves instead of the entire body of the airbag apparatus, as described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 10-100832, and Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-114057 (both incorporated by reference), the horn switches can be turned on with a small pressing force. In such an airbag apparatus, the module cover is latched to a retainer by hooks provided on the retainer.
In driver airbag apparatuses, when an inflator is activated to inflate an airbag and the module cover breaks along a tear line, a large force which tries to remove the module cover away from the retainer is applied to the module cover.
In the airbag apparatus constructed such that the module cover can move with respect to the retainer and is latched by hooks provided on the retainer, the module cover has a projecting portion with a large thickness so that it can bear the large load applied when the airbag is inflated.